COVID’s Hidden Scars: Repairing Moral Injury in Critical care Nursing

This project has worked with a range of wonderful artists who have co-created an immersive, interactive artwork bringing to life interviews with 54 critical care nurses across four phases during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The installation reflects the deep emotional scars and betrayal experiences during the pandemic by nurses, and the nurses attempts to reconicile and repair themselves in a world that has moved on. To show this, they have recreated a critical care ‘bed’ which incorporates co-designed artistic exhibits including a large mural window (w/James Croft), a handcrafted patchwork quilt and curtains (w/Sally Ann Spenser-Grey), and filmed performance of the interviews (w/Rebel Roots Theatre Company) and photographs (w/Yid Whells) to reflect this six year study’s key findings. In doing so, the installation seeks to amplify the voices of critical care nurses, telling their stories by unearthing memories of a time that was both challenging and frightening, but doing so in a way that leaves people with a greater understanding of this period and the urgent need to greater mental health support for healthcare professionals. The installation is also intended as a challenge to traditional, dying forms of academic output to support an emerging, human-centric approach to communicating research and engaging with communities. To find out more about the project you can read Martyn Griffin’s blog: COVID’s Hidden Scars: An Academic Art Installation – Democracy To Come The exhibition will be on display from Tuesday 5th January- Sunday 28th February 2027 Please note the exhibition may contain strong language and some visitors may find the content distressing- please speak to a member of the museum team if you would like further information that may help you plan your visit.